Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Microsoft MakeCode Arcade VS Snap

Compare Microsoft MakeCode Arcade VS Snap and see what are their differences

Microsoft MakeCode Arcade logo Microsoft MakeCode Arcade

Drag n drop code to make and play games online and on various hardware

Snap logo Snap

Snap (formerly BYOB) is a visual, drag-and-drop programming language.
Not present
  • Snap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-21

Microsoft MakeCode Arcade features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Snap features and specs

  • Educational Value
    Snap! is designed to teach programming concepts to beginners, especially young students. It uses visual programming to make it easier to grasp abstract concepts.
  • Accessibility
    The platform is web-based and free to use, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a modern web browser.
  • Visual Programming
    Snap! uses a drag-and-drop interface to create programs, which is intuitive and reduces the barrier to entry for beginners who might be intimidated by text-based coding.
  • Community and Resources
    There is a growing community and plenty of educational resources, including tutorials and example projects, to help learners get started and advance.
  • Integration with Other Tools
    Snap! can integrate with various physical computing devices, such as micro:bit and Arduino, allowing for hands-on learning and extending its capabilities.

Possible disadvantages of Snap

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While Snap! is excellent for beginners, it lacks some of the advanced features and flexibility found in professional-grade programming languages and environments.
  • Performance Issues
    Because it's web-based and relies on a high-level, graphical interface, Snap! may have performance issues with more complex projects or on less powerful devices.
  • Learning Curve for Traditional Coding
    Although Snap! is great for visual programming, the transition to text-based programming languages might require additional effort for learners used to its drag-and-drop interface.
  • Internet Dependency
    Snap! requires an internet connection to use, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity or for users who prefer offline tools.
  • Project Scalability
    Snap! may not be suitable for very large or complex projects due to its design and performance limitations, making it less ideal for advanced users or large-scale applications.

Microsoft MakeCode Arcade videos

Microsoft MakeCode Arcade Overview

More videos:

  • Review - Beginners Review: Microsoft MakeCode Arcade || Lilithium

Snap videos

Snap Review (Rant)

More videos:

  • Review - Snap Spectacles 3 review: here we go again
  • Review - Wahoo Kickr SNAP Smart Trainer: Unboxing. Building. First Ride.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Microsoft MakeCode Arcade and Snap)
Game Development
20 20%
80% 80
Kids Education
20 20%
80% 80
Game Engine
100 100%
0% 0
API Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Microsoft MakeCode Arcade and Snap. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Microsoft MakeCode Arcade and Snap

Microsoft MakeCode Arcade Reviews

We have no reviews of Microsoft MakeCode Arcade yet.
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Snap Reviews

16 Scratch Alternatives
Formerly known as the BYOB, Snap! refers to the solution program for the programming language based on drag & drop, visuals, and much more. This platform can let its users have the extended version so they can easily create their desired block in no time. It can even permit clients to access the services, such as first-class lists, first-class continuations, and procedures....

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Snap should be more popular than Microsoft MakeCode Arcade. It has been mentiond 31 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Microsoft MakeCode Arcade mentions (4)

  • Isometric Projection in Game Development
    Alternatively, get her an emulator of an old 8 or 16 bit system, I started coding at the age of 10 in these systems, with books that were oriented for kids. https://www.atariarchives.org/ http://redparsley.blogspot.com/2016/08/input-magazine-retrospective.html https://archive.org/details/input-hi-01 Or if you prefer something more up to date, https://arcade.makecode.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Yo wants to build a game, I'm lost. What can I do?
    Https://arcade.makecode.com/ Is great fun to use and made for kids. The forum (forum.makecode.com) is well moderated and safe too. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Copying Angry Birds with nothing but AI
    I'm not sure how this reduces the barrier to game developement. There are already lots of free assets and game engines designed for making arcade games that are a lot easier then say Unity or Unreal. Like https://arcade.makecode.com/ or https://microstudio.dev/ or https://scratch.mit.edu/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: Whats the modern day equivalent of 80s computer for kids to explore?
    For the game angle https://arcade.makecode.com may be more of a fit. You can even build a cabinet. Disclaimer: worked on both. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago

Snap mentions (31)

  • Replicube: A puzzle game about writing code to create shapes
    Snap! https://snap.berkeley.edu/ Also, I heartily recommend the demoes that the author is giving regularly at FOSDEM. They're really fun to watch :). - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Coding for Kids โ€“ Fun Way to Learn Programming
    Kids would probably have a better experience with Hedy https://hedy.org if they are young, and Pyret https://dcic-world.org if they are a little older. Once they know how to program python is obviously a fine choice, but starting beginners with Python is insane. Too many gotchas, incomprehensible error messages etc. Also why logo? Its not 1967 anymore. A far better choice is Snap! https://snap.berkeley.edu. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Ask HN: Platform for 11 year old to create video games?
    I upgraded my son from Scratch to Snap! (https://snap.berkeley.edu/). Snap has a much higher ceiling, including collections, first-class code pieces, higher-order functions etc. It pretty openly describes itself as a "Scheme disguised as Scratch" :-) A pragmatic pedagogical thing I love with Snap! Is the ease of creating custom blocks, including macros / custom "C-shaped" control structures. If you have some... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Modern Day Equivalent to HyperCard?
    Take a look at Snap. It was originally a scratch mod, but does allows for all sorts of advanced things. https://snap.berkeley.edu. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Yo wants to build a game, I'm lost. What can I do?
    There is also Snap! (https://snap.berkeley.edu/) which starts very much like Scratch but has higher ceiling. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Microsoft MakeCode Arcade and Snap, you can also consider the following products

Scratch - Scratch is the programming language & online community where young people create stories, games, & animations.

microStudio - microStudio is an all-in-one online game engine that enables you to create games, develop programming skills, have fun playing what you have created, share with others, and prototype.

Blockly - Blockly is a library for building visual programming editors.

Microbit - BBC's handheld, programmable computer given free to UK kids

Instagram - Instagram is a mobile, desktop, and Internet-based photo-sharing application and service that allows users to share pictures and videos either publicly, or privately to pre-approved followers.

VCV Rack - A cross-platform modular synthesizer.